Commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, Lady with an Ermineis a celebrated Renaissance portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci around 1489–1490. The painting depicts the Duke’s sixteen-year-old mistress,Cecilia Gallerani, who was noted for her intelligence and poetic talent. Leonardo captures her mid-gesture, her head turned gracefully to the right as if momentarily distracted by something beyond the frame. This sense of spontaneity, combined with her subtle, almost knowing smile, evokes an emotional complexity that was revolutionary in portraiture at the time.
